NAPE is calling the $3 million government is spending to hire more snow plow operators and winter maintenance staff a positive step forward, but acknowledges that hiring more seasonal workers is going to be a challenge.

Transportation Minister Barry Petten announced yesterday that government intends to hire 50 more snow plow operators.

President Jerry Earle says he’s looking forward to future conversations with government about ways to recruit and retain snow clearing crews, and says government needs to be far more competitive in order to attract workers in high demand seasonal positions.

He believes there’s a way to extend work for seasonal workers to keep them around and to prevent them from leaving the public sector, and to offer them more competitive wages and benefits.

The Opposition believes the cost of 24-hour snow clearing will far surpass the $3 million announced by government.

Liberal critic Elvis Loveless says staffing the service is going to be a challenge for the PCs and the cost is going to be even higher with associated costs.

He says more snow plows and more routes mean more wear and tear and more mechanics will be needed. “So are we going to pay them more now?” Loveless asked.

“Every depot that I visited…when I was minister, the thing that came out from the workers was, ‘we can go across the road with a private operator and get more money.'”

Transportation Minister Barry Petten says you can’t put a cost on safety, and he says adding more routes for 24/7 snow clearing is the right thing to do.

“And for a savings of $1.9 million back in the day? I could never understand the rationale for that decision.”